Poverty and Inequality

Tees Valley Mayor + Combined Authority control £29.5m budget

01.08.19: The Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority have officially taken control of an annual devolved budget of around £29.5m  to deliver adult education provision across the region. To mark the event, the Mayor visited Stockton...

Brokenshire reveals new measures to stamp out ‘poor doors’ segregation

23.07.19: The government has pledged to ban “poor doors” to help end the segregation of social housing residents in mixed-housing developments in future builds. Communities secretary James Brokenshire announced the measures to “tack...

Controversial new prevention green paper ‘a step in the right direction’

23.07.19: The long-awaited prevention green paper has been published by the government, including a host of policies targeting ill-health such as proposals tackling smoking, drinking and poor diets. The ‘Advancing our health: prevention in the...

London survey shows effective approach to helping vulnerable kids

23.07.19: New research from London Councils highlights the life-changing impact early intervention has on the most vulnerable young people in the capital. The umbrella group’s evaluation of children’s social care and special educational n...

Extra £28m announced to alleviate pressures on councils through Controlling Migration Fund

15.07.19: Councils across England are set to receive a further £28m to help ease pressures on local services following increased migration, from alleviating rough sleeping and community integration to targeting rogue landlords. The funding boos...

Councils welcome government review of guidance for youth services

11.07.19: A review of the statutory guidance for council-provided youth services has been launched by the government. Civil society minister Mims Davies made the announcement, stating that the review will “focus on the positive role local autho...

Government unveils £675m Future High Streets Fund shortlist

09.07.19: The government has revealed the winners of the first phase of a multi-million-pound fund to transform local high streets, with 51 areas of the country through to the second phase. The £675m Future High Streets Fund, launched at the en...

Councils to be placed under legal duty to house victims of domestic abuse

13.05.19: Councils are to be given a legal duty to provide “safe houses” for victims of domestic abuse and their children, under new plans announced by the prime minister. Theresa May announced the new policy, backed by government funding...

Councils get £30m boost to look after asylum seeking children

10.05.19: The government has announced a £30m funding boost for councils looking after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) following warnings that minors are being “left in limbo.” Immigration minister Caroline Nokes reveal...

Scottish Government faces ‘significant challenge’ in delivering new devolved welfare benefits, says auditor

02.05.19: The government has “no clear picture” of what is needed to deliver further devolved welfare benefits in Scotland and faces a “significant challenge” in the next stage of the devolution of powers, the national spending wat...

Councils face £1bn-a-year funding gap for single homelessness as charities give government ‘wake-up call’

24.04.19: Local authorities in England have more than halved their spending on single homeless people since 2008 spending and are spending £1bn less a year, major research from homeless charities have found. St Mungo’s and Homeless Link s...

Bristol City Council makes ‘reckless’ £9m investment into clean energy firm

08.04.19: Bristol City Council is to put a further £9m into its loss-making energy firm in a decision criticised as “reckless” and a “staggering waste of public money.” The council has already invested £27m into Br...

Bristol council brings in licencing scheme for private landlords to protect renters

04.04.19: Private landlords in 12 areas across Bristol will now have to pay £1,200 for licensing to rent properties as part of a council’s bid to improve protection for renters. Bristol City Council has agreed to expand the licensing sche...

Council ‘unlawfully failed’ to carry out liberty deprivation checks for thousands of vulnerable people due to financial pressures

01.04.19: A council has deliberately failed to assess thousands of vulnerable people who may have been unlawfully deprived of their liberty, the local government ombudsman has ruled. Staffordshire County Council decided in May 2016 that it would stop...

Stoke-on-Trent council’s ‘inadequate’ children services slammed by Ofsted in ‘outrageous dereliction of duty’

19.03.19: Vulnerable children are “not being protected” by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and are being failed by its “inadequate” services, Ofsted has found. An inspection of the children’s services in Stoke found that chi...